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sports Tuesday 27 OcTOber 2020

Kershaw grinds and Roberts pushes the right buttons

By TIM DAHLBERG sions I make,'' Roberts said. starting part-time starter
AP Sports Columnist "I wanted my talent out Tony Gonsolin in Game 6,
If it wasn't exactly redemp- there and they made me something he can do with
tion for Clayton Kershaw, it look good tonight.'' the knowledge he has
sure was for the Los Ange- A night after Kenley Jansen ace Walker Buehler in re-
les Dodgers. blew a ninth inning save in serve for a seventh game,
Maybe Dave Roberts, too, a wild finish, Kershaw kept if needed.
though the jury will be out the Dodgers close into the But if everything looked
on the Dodgers manager sixth inning — and this time rosy Sunday night in Texas,
until the moment his team Roberts pushed all the right it sure didn't less than 24
finally hoists a World Series buttons. He pulled his start- hours earlier when Jansen
trophy. er when Kershaw wasn't in couldn't get the last strike,
The Dodgers didn't just win trouble, brought in a string the Dodgers made two er-
Game 5 on Sunday night of relievers who did their rors on the final play and
to move within a game of jobs and — perhaps most the Rays fell all over them-
doing just that. They also importantly — left Jansen selves in celebrating an un- Tampa Bay Rays' Manuel Margot is tagged out at home by Los
regained the swagger that sitting in the bullpen for the likely win. Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes trying to steal during
could have easily been ninth inning. The end result Turns out short memories the fourth inning in Game 5 of the baseball World Series Sunday,
knocked out of them in a was a 4-2 win closed out by are as important as big hits. Oct. 25, 2020, in Arlington, Texas.
demoralizing loss the night Blake Treinen that moved Max Muncy had both on Associated Press
before. the Dodgers to within one a night when his most im- so it's one of those things out after only two pitches
They did it by shaking off win of the World Series ti- portant contribution may where you know he has — which brought two outs
the effect of a brutal walk tle that has eluded them not have been the home that long pause when it — in the sixth, drawing boos
off just hours earlier that since Ronald Reagan was run that made it 4-2 but his comes to his stretch," Mun- from the Dodger fans in at-
might have destroyed less- president. "It's very excit- sharp eye in seeing Manuel cy said. "You have to be tendance and disbelief
er teams. They did it by get- ing, but at the same time, Margot take off from third aware of it. Kersh has been from third basemen Justin
ting just enough out of a we've got to win one more base and try to steal home doing that for a long time, Turner, who pleaded with
pitcher whose Hall of Fame game," Kershaw said. "And with two outs in the fourth. so thankfully he knew what Roberts to leave him in.
resume is lacking only one so I want to keep it together Muncy yelled at Kershaw, to do when I ran yelling at But Kershaw, whose post-
thing — a World Series ring. for one more game. We've who stepped off the rub- him, telling him 'Guy going season struggles are well
And they did it behind the got to win one more.'' ber and threw home to nip home.' He didn't panic. He documented, had strug-
chess moves of a man- They'll get two chances Margot in what turned out did what he's supposed to gled all night. And before
ager who makes Dodger to do it, though no one in to be the Rays' last threat. do." the inning began, he and
fans nervous every time he Dodger Blue wants any- "Thankfully, I was fortunate Muncy's home run came Roberts agreed that he
heads out to the mound. thing to do with a Game 7 enough to see one or two the next inning, and that would face only two more
"I can't get caught up with in this World Series. Roberts guys in the past attempt was the end of the scor- batters before Dustin May
fan reactions to the deci- said he was leaning toward something like that on him, ing. Roberts took Kershaw relieved him.q

Izagirre wins 6th Vuelta stage; Carapaz takes overall lead

SALLENT DE GÁLLEGO, Spain place.
(AP) — With some help from Ineos Grenadiers rider Car-
his brother, Ion Izagirre won apaz finished 12th in Sun-
the sixth stage of the Span- day's stage marked by wet
ish Vuelta on Sunday, and and cold conditions.
Richard Carapaz snatched "This is a reward for the
the overall lead from de- team, we had worked well
fending champion Primoz all week," the 27-year-old
Roglic. Ecuadorean said. "There's
Ion Izagirre was guided by still a lot of Vuelta left, we
older brother Gorka Izagirre will try to defend this jersey."
during the final parts of the Roglic, a contender in the
stage and made a strong Tour de France until the fi-
attack on the final climb of nal competitive stage, had
the 146-kilometer (90-mile) been wearing the leader's
stage. jersey since winning the first
The stage was original- Vuelta stage.
ly planned to cross into Monday will be the race's
France but had to be al- first rest day. On Tuesday,
tered to stay in Spanish ter- riders will face a hilly 159-ki-
ritory because of tightened lometer (98-mile) stage
coronavirus restrictions. Ion from Vitoria-Gasteiz to Val-
Izagirre, a Spanish rider for degovía.
Astana, finished 25 seconds Ecuadorian fans of Richard Carapaz, waves national flag in front of the Ineos's team bus before The Vuelta is taking place
ahead of Michael Woods the second stage of La Vuelta between Pamplona and Lekunberri, in Pamplona, northern Spain, amid tight health restric-
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020.
and Rui Costa. Associated Press tions after Spain recently
"I have to thank Gorka endured a surge in coro-
because he made things 20th place — nearly two ings. The Jumbo-Visma rider place, 18 seconds off the navirus cases. The race was
easier for me," the younger minutes after Ion Izagirre is 30 seconds behind Cara- lead, with Dan Martin from postponed from earlier in
Izagirre said. — and dropped to fourth paz. EF Pro Cycling's Hugh the Israel Start-Up Nation the year because of the
Roglic crossed the line in place in the overall stand- Carthy moved to second team close behind in third pandemic.q